Google's Wear OS 2.0 smartwatch platform is easy to use and has an attractive interface that places an emphasis on health and fitness.

Bottom Line

Goodbye Android Wear, hello Wear OS. The update from Android Wear isn't a change in name alone, and there's no reason to look back. From easier navigation to a more attractive interface, Wear OS 2.0 brings along much needed changes that positively transform the experience of using a Google-powered smartwatch, making it formidable competition for Apple's iOS-centric watchOS.

Revamped All Around

Before getting down to the mechanics of it all, the first major change to Wear OS is its name. In an effort to avoid confusion among iPhone users, Google removed "Android" from the title altogether to help communicate that its smartwatches are compatible with both Android and iOS phones. (We'll touch on just how compatible it is in a bit.)

Along with the rebrand comes a new logo, and more importantly a cleaner, more streamlined user interface. This includes new adaptive text sizes, a font that's a lot more pleasing to the eye, and darker backgrounds.

The Wear OS companion phone app (pictured) also has been updated, with a sleeker look and a black background that gives it a more modern aesthetic. Google Fit is now integrated in the app as well, allowing you to place fitness metrics right on the home screen of your watch.

For the most part, using Wear OS 2.0 is smooth but there is some occasional lag, especially on smartwatches powered by Qualcomm's 2100 chipset. Scrolling through menus is sometimes slow, apps like the Google Play store and Weather take a while to load, and there's some stutter when browsing through a number of notifications. Watches with the new Wear 3100 chip won't run into these issues as much, as the processor has been designed to optimize Wear OS performance.

Easier to Navigate

Compared with the original iteration of Android Wear, navigating Wear OS 2.0 requires far less work. Google found a way to squeeze more features into different parts of the interface without making it overwhelmingly busy.

To access the settings and shortcut tiles, swipe down. Seasoned Android Wear users will notice the menu looks pretty much the same as before, but there are a few new additions. Aside from brightness, airplane mode, and do not disturb, there are individual tiles for Google Pay, find my phone, battery saver mode, and to turn off the screen.

A swipe to the right gives you access to a new Google Assistant-powered feature. This section provides you with a summary of your day, whether it's meetings at work, restaurant reservations, or a doctor's appointment. As long its scheduled through your Google account (Gmail, Google Calendar, etc), it appears on your watch.

There are suggestions for other actions you can trigger with the help of Google Assistant, whether it's asking for the top news of the day or to hear a joke. At the top of the screen, you can tap on the microphone to activate Google Assistant rather than holding down on the crown of the smartwatch. If you do use Google Assistant to ask a question, additional follow-up questions appear for you to tap on.

To see all of your notifications, swipe up on the display. With Wear OS 2.0, notifications are neatly stacked in chronological order, which makes them easy to sort through. Each notification expands and collapses from the same screen, which is a great change from having to bounce back and forth between viewing a notification on one screen before going back to another to see the rest.

There are also new gestures you can turn on via settings. Flick your wrist up to show notifications, and continue to flick your wrist up or down to scroll through them. This is convenient for seeing what's happening at a glance without having to get both hands involved.

Health, Fitness, and Battery

Fitness tracking is now more accessible and easier to follow. Swiping to the left brings you to Google Fit, where you can see all of your health and fitness metrics at a quick glance. Thanks to the redesign, the progress rings are easy to read without diving too deep into your stats or crunching numbers throughout the day. Tapping on the app displays more in-depth metrics like steps, calories, and distance.

Occasionally, Google Fit sends encouraging notifications to keep going. Using its new Heart Points and Move Minutes system, the alerts let you know how many more points and minutes you have to go until you reach your goals. It's similar to what many dedicated fitness trackers do.

It's also easier to start a workout. Rather than having to go through the menu to find Fit Workout, you can just swipe to the left and tap on the Fit icon toward the bottom of the screen. You can also access a history of your workouts right from the smartwatch.

Many recent Wear OS smartwatches include GPS. With Google Fit, you can use it to track distance of your runs, bikes, or walks without needing to be tethered to your smartphone. Once you get back from working out, the information syncs to the app automatically.

In addition to GPS, many smartwatches now include a heart rate monitor. To take advantage of this, there are a variety of new watch faces that include heart rate on the display. Rather than having to manually check it via the heart rate app or tap through Google Fit, your number of beats per minute sits conveniently on your watch face and updates every 20 minutes.

With more sensors and health features comes the need for more battery power. That's why Wear OS 2.0 has a battery saver mode that automatically kicks in when your battery is at 10 percent or less. At that point, you can't really use the watch for anything other than to check the time. It also goes into sleep mode whenever it's off your wrist for more than 30 minutes to help save power.

Still Works Better With Android

While Wear OS is compatible with iOS, there are some restrictions to be aware of. With an iOS device, you can't answer text messages directly from the watch itself, like you can when connected to an Android phone. Personally, I don't like answering messages using a tiny watch keyboard, but it'd be nice to have the ability to send quick responses or reply by voice (if you're using a watch with a built-in mic).

It's also worth noting that iOS users need to constantly have the Wear OS app running in the background on their phone in order to keep their smartwatch connected. If you close it, you won't receive any notifications. Thankfully, if you force close the app and don't realize it, Wear OS sends a notification to your watch telling you that your device is out of range.

Otherwise, all other features work the same no matter what phone you use. Wear OS-compatible apps are available for download via the Google Play store, and you still have access to Google Assistant. Those who use Google Calendar on iOS can also choose it as their primary calendar app over Apple—that way, your events sync with the Google Assistant feature.

Comparisons and Conclusions

Wear OS 2.0 is a long overdue upgrade that makes Google-powered smartwatches a lot easier and more enjoyable to use. It's far more intuitive and smoother than Android Wear, even with a Qualcomm 2100 chipset and when connected to an iPhone. It also makes health and fitness tracking a lot more convenient, by placing it front and center and focusing on easily viewing your progress.

Compared with watchOS on the Apple Watch, both operating systems offer access to their respective voice assistants, health and fitness tracking, and the ability to download third-party apps. You'll find a much wider selection of apps on watchOS, but you need to have an iPhone if you want to use an Apple Watch at all. Wear OS is compatible with far more phones and available across a much wider selection of devices. It also has a cleaner, simpler interface.

For an equally simple alternative, consider FitbitOS (which you'll find on the Fitbit Ionic and Versa). It too has a neat and organized interface that makes it easy to keep track of all your fitness metrics while providing notifications from your smartphone. However, its third-party app selection is significantly limited compared with what you get from Apple and Google. The same can be said of Samsung's Tizen operating system, which can be seen on the latest Galaxy Watch.

Ultimately, Wear OS still has some kinks to work out, but it's no longer a reason to avoid a Google-powered smartwatch the way Android Wear was. Wear OS 2.0 is definitely a step in right direction, and we look forward to seeing what the next iteration brings.

About the Author

Brenda Stolyar is a member of PCMag's consumer electronics team, covering smart home and wearable technology. She previously covered apps, phones, and wearables at Digital Trends. She owes her interest in technology to her grandpa, who gifted her a Dell computer when she was in second grade.

While she loves all things tech, Brenda also has a passion for film and music...as well as an obsession with celebrity gossip. When she’s not reviewing and writing about the latest gadgets, you can find her binge-watching reality TV on Bravo with her pet Chihuahua, Phoebe, by her side.